Direct-acting engine



(No Model.)

P CHOUTEAU DIRECT ACTING ENGINE.

No. 520,915. Patented June 5; 1894.

f .5 f2 .r 7 @M W E N l LITHOGRAPNlNG COMPANY.

w N D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

PIERRE CHOUTEAU, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

DIRECT-ACTING ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,915, dated J' une 5, 1894.

Application iiled December 30, 1893. Serial No. l1:95.163. (No model.)

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through my improved engine. Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the piston and valve in a changed position. Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken through the piston head on line 3-3 Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken through the piston rod on line 4-4 Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken through the shank of the tool holder or chuck, on line 5--5 Fig. 1. Fig. 6 illustrates a modified form of the lower end of the cylinder.

This invention relates to that class of direct acting steam or pneumatic engines, in which the piston is reciprocated in the cylinder by the alternateadmission of the motive iluid above and below the same, said fluid being controlled by a distributing valve carried by the piston, which distributing valve is itself actuated by the motive fiuid in such manner as to be thrown in either of its extreme positions to effect the admission of the motive fluid above the piston, and out o the exhaust, or vice versa. The principles of operation in this engine, are substantially the same as those shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 434,976, of August 26, 1890, c'. e., the hammer-head of the piston rod co-operates with a chuck or tool holder mounted in the end of the cylinder, and by the reciprocation of said piston, the tool holder is reciprocated or vibrated by the impact of the blow delivered thereupon by the piston rod.

, The object of this present invention is to simplify the construction of the tool without detracting from the efficiency of the device, and to produce a compact, and easily assembled instrument, not liable to get out of order and one which may be readily repaired in a very short time. v

In the drawings, A indicates the cylinder, bored to two different diameters for the piston head and rod, as in the case of the beforementioned patent, and provided with a live fluid inlet and chamber asis usual. The lower, or tool holding end of the cylinder is bored from the top for the reception of the chuck, and is preferably of a diameter less than either of the diameters before mentioned, while the extreme lower end is bored to a diameter less than the onej ust mentioned, which latter bore is for the reception and passage of the shank of the chuck. By this construction, the removable closing cap is dispensed with, which in the old construction was liable to be displaced by the constant jar to which the instrument was subjected in operation.

B represents the chuck or tool holder, which in construction is similar in outward appearance to old and well known forms, but in this construction I preferably form small holes through the same longitudinally, through which passes the exhaust fluid, directed to the place where the operative end of the tool C is working, thus tending to blow away dust,

4shavings or small particles which might remain around the operative end of the tool and obstruct the vision of the operator in such a wayas to prevent him following certain given lines with certainty. The tool C is locked in the tool holder in a manner as illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 434,406, of August 12, 1890, c'. e., by a locking bolt h mounted in the tool holder, which co-operates with an annulus c in the tool. I have also illustrated in this form of tool holder packing in the head thereof, and packing in the end of the cylinder for the shank of the same, which packing is forcedy out by live iiuid let into a chamber beneath the head through port a, which fluid not only forces the packing out to its work, but tends to hold the tool holder to the action of the piston rod, which construction forms the subject matter of another application filed November 23, 1893, Serial No. 491,705; the only difference being that the lower packing, instead of being received into a chamber in the confining cap, is let into an annulus formed directly in` the lower end of the cylinder.

This way of holding the tool holder may,

IOO

however be dispensed with, andthe old form of spring used, if desired, and in fact,Ihave found that a light spring is useful in the event of using the packing for the reason that as soon as the motive Huid is turned off, the chuck is liable to fall to its lowest extremity and the tool will drop out, whereas, in the use of a light spring, the tool and its holder is held to its place.

In the form illustrated in the drawings where the lower end of the cylinder may be said to be substantially solid, save for the small bore for the passage of the shank, it is obvious that the chuck or tool holder must be introduced from the top and in such a case, there must be means provided to prevent the same from following the piston rod, which it done, the impact or hammer blow delivered upon the chuck in the old form, would not be present.

In order to limit the upward movement of the chuck to prevent its following the piston, I introduce a stop, in the form of a ring D,

into the cylinder at the propel' place. In Figs.

l and 2, this ring is in the form of conical shaped split ring, which is sprung into an annulus formed in the interior periphery of the cylinder, while in Fig. 6, I have illustrated another, and preferred form of ring which is screwed into the cylinder to its proper place. By this latter construction, I am enabled to remove the ring at any time without the use of special tools, which might be required in i the former case. To prevent the screwed-in ring D in Fig. 6, from becoming loose due to the jar of the instrument, I lock the same through the medium of asmall screw d passing through from the outside of the cylinder into a seat in the ring, or this screw may be replaced by a pin, if desired. To hold this screw or pin d in place, I provide a suitable Hat leaf spring d which is mounted upon the cylinder by a rivet or other suitable permanent means, which spring, in order to always bear against'the head of the screw or pin, is seated in a groove d" from which it may be displaced by the use of a sharp pointed instrument, and the screw or pin d removed to permit the unscrewing and removal of the ring D. In Fig. 6 I have also illustrated a key E formed with prongs e which are received into notches or seats in the upper face of the ring D, through the medium of which key, the ring D may be easily manipulated.

F indicates the piston head, G the piston rod, and H the distributing valve, which operate in the same manner as similar parts in the Patent No. 434,976 save in the following particulars:-The piston head is chambered asusual, and in this chamber, near its upper edge, is formed an annulus I into or from which exhaust ports i' lead downwardly through the pistou rod. In the upper end of the piston, a ring or collar J is seated, which is formed with a central openingj forming a shoulder at the upper end of the chamber in the piston head, against which shoulder the upper end of the distributing valve abnts in its extremo upper position. A well X is formed at the lower end of the piston chamber, into which lead ports formed in the piston rod, which ports, when the piston is at its lowest extremity, are closed by the walls of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, but which, when the cylinder is about midway its stroke, open into the live iuid chamber, as shown in Fig. 2. By the formation of a well of less diameter than the chamber in the piston, the distributing valve seats itself on the shoulders thus formed, and is ready at all times to be thrown upward at the inliux of the live fluid into the well, as shown in Fig. 2, to open communication between the ports as leading from the live duid chamber, through the piston chamber, and the ports v, leading from the piston chamber to the space above the piston. The distributing valve l-I is a solid cylindrically shaped body, which in its lowest position, Fig. l, (which it is permitted kto assume by the eillux of the compression iiuid, which had before sustainedit, passing through air passages or cappings y formed on the outer periphery of the piston rod, longitudinally from the ports as to below a shoulder s into the exhaust space below,) closes the inlet ports QJ and opens the exhaust ports t', to permit the escape of the fluid from above the piston head. This distributing valve is of such length, that the exhaust chamber I is shut before the ports n are opened, thus the head of the piston receives the `full head of the live fluid without any waste, and the upper end of the valve abutting against the ring .I presents less surface area for the action of the live fluid thereagainst than does the lower surface, which greater area of the lower surface causes the valve to beso maintained in its elevated position to perform its work properly.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In combination with a direct acting engine, of a chuck or tool holder mounted in the end of its cylinder with which the piston is adapted to co-operate, a stop ring for limiting the inward movement of said chuck, mounted within the cylinder, and means for locking said ring in its position, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a direct acting engine, of a chuck or tool holder mounted in the end of its cylinder with which the piston is adaptedto co-operate, a stop ring screwed into the cylinder for limiting the inward movement of said chuck, the screw or pin passing through the cylinder forholding said ring in place, and a spring, seated in a recess and bearing on the head of said screw or pin for holding the same in place, substantially as described. n

3. In a direct acting engine, the combination with a chambered piston, of inlet ports leading thereinto, which are opened to the live IOO uid chamber when the piston is in certain of its positions, outlet ports leading from said chamber to the space above the piston, suitable exhaust ports leading from said chamber, and a solid cylindrically shaped valve which is so arranged as to close the exhaust ports before the outlet ports from the chamb'er leading to the space above the piston are' opened, said valve being operated by the pressure above the piston to open the exhaust ports and close' communication between the 

